And Fiorenzo Magni had to give up the race from the leading position.
After Fausto Coppi, the previous winner of Giro d’Italia and Tour de France crashed out at the Giro, Gino Bartali became the clear leader of the Italian team at the Tour in 1950. He was the winner of the editions on 1938 and 1948. That means the recent two races were won by Italian riders, which caused several smaller incidents between the disappointed French spectators and the Italian riders.
The 11th stage was a classic etap in the Pyrenees, including Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin. The tension was high and the situation escalated when Bartali alongside with Jean Robic (Tour de France winner in 1947) crashed with a motorbike. Some of the spectators tried to help them, but others started to kick and beat Bartali.
He managed to get back on his bike and became so furious, that he won the stage ahead of Louison Bobet and Stan Ockers. Meanwhile, Fiorenzo Magni gained the yellow jersey.
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Bartali wanted both Italian teams ( there was also an Italian cadet team with young talents in the peloton ) to withdraw from the race. It was the hardest for Magni, of course, who would have raced in yellow the next day.
But finally, the Italian riders left the race. Ferdi Kübler became the leader of the General Classification and managed to remain in this position until the very end of the race.